| an AWESOME weekend....
I thought having been off a bike for a year that I ought to do a little write up, let you all know how it went for me.
First of all it was all rush rush rush trying to get my new bike finished in time, I got it all together with a few days to spare, all be it not painted or tested.
I had promised myself, and my wife and family that I wasn't out to win anything. Donington was to be used just a test day to see if the bike worked, to see if I was still able to ride and if I still enjoyed racing. Really I would have liked to have done a test day before hand but I wasn't ready on time.
I packed up the err,,, horse box,,, sort of, put my borrowed leathers and bike in and set off, I had decided not to pack any tools or anything other than the bike, leathers and a can of petrol. I thought if anything went wrong I'd just come home.
I had expected it to pass scrutineering though, so off to see Kev (the man you need to know) who sorted me out, Thanks again mate.
Qualifying came along and I was supposed to take it slow and steady to give the bike a proper test before the first race. To my amazement I found the bike was just about perfect, and also to my amazement I felt a little bit less perfect, bloody awful actually I couldn't find an apex if it hit me in the face, I was braking about 100m to early for every corner, tipping in too early or too late, holding my breath and gripping the handlebars so tight I nearly passed out. I found that the harder I tried the more mistakes I made, I sorted myself out and just about put in a reasonable time, not too quick but o.k. Put me 10th on the grid. Afterwards I could hardly walk, my legs were like jelly, I felt so unfit.
Race 1
I was really nervous, all I could think about was that in my last race of 2012 I nearly flipped the bike off the start line, I was so determined not to do that again I think didn't let the clutch out enough and pulled away really slowly and lost a load of places. Into the first corner I was surrounded by bikes all trying to elbow me out the way. I'm not used to the mid pack thing and found it all a bit scary. After, I found my confidence, and just about remembered where the track went. I slowly and carefully started to work my way up through the field, until I caught sight of Matt Larrett, (yes him again) I made a couple of attempts to overtake him. each time backing off at the last moment, Matt managed to get past Kev Palmer and started to make a gap so I was perhaps a little bit impatient to get past. I tried to overtake Kev on the outside at coppice when I inexplicably had a bit of a panic attack and ran wide into the gravel still going pretty quick, I thought 'oh my gosh! This is going to really hurt' I managed to pull it up before the tyre wall and dig myself out and back on to the track in last place, Just before the red flags. Going back 1 lap I was credited with 9th place. I can't believe that I nearly turned it upside down on my first race back.. what an idiot.. what will my wife say..
Race 2
After Kev E had emptied the gravel from my bellypan I lined up on the grid for race 2 determined to make a better start, which I did, still not brilliant, but not too bad, I had a bit of a race with a few people, on my way up to about 6th place I think before a few came back past, I could see Ghost up ahead and he became my new target I got quite close at 1 point, I couldn't get past but there were still a few laps to go,, then I made the mistake of looking over my shoulder, and Mark Roxborough was breathing down my neck, I then tried to speed up a bit and cocked up the next few corners, Mark overtook me and Ghost and they both took off at a pace I couldn't match.
But two 9th places wasn't too bad I suppose, in my first race back only a year after I broke my back, on a bike that had never turned a wheel before Qualifying, with no practice/testing and with last years left over tyres.
it was great to be back, I can't believe how fast you lot are or that I used to be up there with you...
Roll on Snetterton........................................ .............................................  | 
11-Jun-2013, 13:48 
Sorry Ron. 
Snett then Brands.... That'll be all for this year I think, Maybe squeeze in another if all goes well, but....... wait and see.
bally71
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